Friendship and Love
by Miss Bridget Sharpe
Summary: Mary Ann's thoughts on friendship and love and knowing what you can and can't have.


_**A/N I want to state right now this is in no way shape or form a MAP story. I don't write that.  
This is just something I was thinking about. Again NOT MAP so don't be expecting that.  
Now I hope you enjoy this little tale starring Mary Ann.  
**_

Mary Ann Summers went about her daily chore of laundry. With the exception of the wealthy Howells, they didn't have a whole lot in the way of clothing. Ginger had a few gowns and she Mary Ann had a couple of items she brought with her however between the seven of them being on the island together one would think that they had enough clothes for an army!

Laundry had to constantly be kept up with so they all had clean clothes everyday.  
Somehow the farm girl took over this chore but she didn't mind too much. She was used to washing a large amount of clothes as she did so on the farm.

The brunette finished up her task of taking the clothes off the line and putting them in the basket. She made her way back to camp and paused when her eyes fell on the Professor.

He sure was handsome. A little old for her but still….she could not help but admire him.  
Mary Ann walked towards him when as if on cue, the beautiful glamorous Ginger Grant appeared. The Professor looks up and smiles at her. The look he had in his eyes when he sees her is nothing short of love.

Mary Ann stood watching the scene. How she wished she could be as beautiful as Ginger! Have beautiful silky red hair. A terrific figure. A killer white smile. Eyes like emeralds. That's how she once heard the Professor describe them.  
Her glittery orange gown that accented her curves to perfection.

The brunette looked down at her own attire of a pink t-shirt and jeans and all of a sudden felt frumpy compared to the Hollywood starlet. Her brunette locks were tied up loosely on her head while Ginger's lovely hair flowed in the gentle breeze.

It was no wonder that the Professor loved Ginger so. Not only was she beautiful, she was talented. Very talented.  
The movie star would entertain the group once in a while to keep up their spirits. Mary Ann envied her singing.  
So many times she imagined herself on that stage singing and dancing in such a manner. Having the Professor's eyes follow her every move. There was no question how much Roy Hinkley loved Ginger's performances. The man could not take his eyes off her. He was completely captivated by the starlet. And how could he not? Ginger knew how to capture an audience.

Mary Ann brought the laundry into the hut she shared with Ginger. She set the basket down on her bed. And began putting away her clothes. Her mind drifted. How did Ginger manage to gain the attention of the Professor? How did she do it? She knew how. Ginger was a fun loving person. Very outgoing and never afraid to say what's on her mind. Some of the things she would say to the Professor made the farm girl blush. There was no way she could say such things.  
She wasn't brave enough to be as brazen as the redhead.

There was also something else. Ginger was very caring. She genuinely cared about all the castaways. The time that Gilligan thought he broke his nose. Ginger crafted together models of different noses for him to chose when they "reconstructed" his nose. Of course he didn't need the surgery but they had to do something to calm him down.  
Mary Ann will also never forget about when the Professor fell ill. Had a horrible fever that did not want to let up. The actress stayed up with him all night, caring for him, administering medicine to him. Doing what she had to keep his temperature under control. Ordering the farm girl and first mate out to the jungle to go find what was needed to aid the academic in healing. She combed through the Professor's medicine book looking for whatever treatments she could find to help him.  
Also she sang to him. She sang softly and sweetly to him to help him sleep. He seemed to be soothed by her musical voice. His fever finally broke and he was on the road to a full recovery. Mary Ann knew that she could never be as caring as Ginger was with the Professor. The movie star loved him with all her heart. The way she was with him. Keeping him from overdoing it. Making sure he didn't work all day and night at whatever experiment.

Making sure that he ate when he was supposed to and didn't skip out on a meal.  
And there was the way she would always assist him with his experiments. Ginger was always the first one he asked. Mary Ann knew that it was because he harbored affection for the glamorous star. She saw the way he looked at her. The way his eyes lit up when she arrived at their meals. How he would smile at whatever thing Ginger said to him.

Mary Ann knew she could not compete with a famous movie star. Why bother trying?  
She finished up putting her clothes way and picked up the basket to deliver everyone else's laundry. She paused again when she saw Ginger sitting on the Professor's lap. Her arms were around his neck and he was in total appreciation of whatever she was saying to him. Then the movie star's lips touched the academics and his arms wrapped around her tight.

The brunette sighed to herself. She was never going to experience that. She had nothing to gain such affection from the Professor. He wanted someone with flare. Someone like Ginger. Mary Ann did not blame him. Ginger was a terrific person. A great friend.

Mary Ann felt as if she could tell her anything. Of course anything but her secret about the Professor. She was never going to tell her that. Not ever. There was no way she was about to do that to her friend. If she knew...she would be hurt. Believe that she was going to lose who Mary Ann knew was the love of her life. Having someone who wanted to compete with her for the Professor would be too much for the actress.  
Ginger had confided in her a long time ago about how it was in Hollywood. How easy another woman could snag your man. It was one of the things she could not get used to.  
It was why she rarely got serious about anyone. She didn't think she had what it took to hold on to him. Being in Hollywood it didn't matter how beautiful you were, if another woman was more beautiful, you could say good-bye to your man.

The Professor was nothing like those men in Hollywood. His eyes were for Ginger and Ginger alone. Never once had he showed the slightest romantic interest in her, Mary Ann. Not once. Only Ginger. All the time.  
Ginger didn't deserve to have to worry about losing the Professor. She waited too long for a man who love her the way he did. No Mary Ann would never put Ginger through something like that.

A long as the Professor was happy and Ginger was happy, she was happy. She could let things be. She was not about to go and steal the Professor away. For one thing she could not live with herself being that vindictive and cruel. Second, why would she want to take a man who clearly was so in love with another woman? The Professor could not be forced into loving her. And she wasn't going to force it.  
His heart was with Ginger and she could accept it. He had someone as wonderful as Ginger loving him. That was good enough for her.

Mary Ann walked to another hut and knocked on the door. "Laundry." She said.

The hut door opened and Gilligan stood there. "Hi Mary Ann. Come in."

The brunette smiled and walked in. "Here you go." She said cheerfully as she set it down on the table.

Gilligan picked up his shirt and examined in. "Wow Mary Ann you got that coconut cream stain out!"

Mary Ann giggled. "I told you it wasn't set in that bad." She said.

The sailor excitedly went into his "dressing room" and pulled his shirt on. He proudly stepped out wearing his freshly clean red shirt.

The farm girl could not help but smile. "You look good." She commented. "Like Gilligan again."

"I promise not to be so messy again." He said.

"Oh that's alright Gilligan." Mary Ann assured.

Gilligan grinned. "Mary Ann, will you go fishing with me? Skipper wanted me to catch some fish for dinner. Would you go with me?"

"I'd love too." She smiled picking up her basket. "Will you help me deliver the rest of these clothes?"

"Deal!" Gilligan answered enthusiastically.

After the laundry was dispensed, Mary Ann happily joined Gilligan at the lagoon and they cast their lines.  
While they waited for a bite, Gilligan launched into a story about Skinny Mulligan back home and the time they went fishing and Skinny Mulligan almost fell in the water….

Mary Ann laughed at the humorous tale. Her eyes took in the first mate as he spoke.  
The joy in his eyes. His smile. Maybe he wasn't the Professor but so what? At that moment she wouldn't trade him for anything or anyone. He will always be her best friend Gilligan no matter what.  
Mary Ann suspected he may have a tiny crush on her and she as she watched him she was beginning to consider him. herself. A kind wonderful generous soul. Who wouldn't love that?

The End!


End file.
